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80% rent increase threatens future of Pets Pantry in Kent
The Pets Pantry in Whitstable, Kent, could be forced to close because it can't afford to pay a £10,000 increase in its yearly rent...
The Pets Pantry in Whitstable, Kent, could be forced to close because it can't afford to pay a £10,000 increase in its yearly rent.
Tony Rotherham-Bone, who has been the co-owner of Pets Pantry in Whitstable High Street for the past 21 years, said the shop had been notified by the landlord's agent that rents were going up by 80%.
"This is a ridiculous decision," Tony told Pet Trade Xtra. "There is no way we can afford to pay such a massive increase, and if we can't get it revoked we will have to close down.
"Our customers are furious, and can't believe that such action can be taken."
Tony said there had been an increase in the number of leading brand coffee shops opening in Whitstable High Street, and the landlord had taken the opportunity to double the rents in some cases.
"The big chains can probably afford high rents but it's having a devastating effect on small businesses like ourselves," said Tony. "These rent rises will see the death of Whitstable High Street because some shops will be forced to close."
But Tony isn't going to give up without a fight and is challenging the legaility of the rent increases in court. He's hopeful the issue will be resolved before the end of the year.
Is your business being affected by higher rent charges? Let us know by emailing neil.pope@tgcmc.co.uk
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Pet trade bodies attend Glee summit meeting
Pet trade organisations this week attended a summit meeting in London aimed at safeguarding the future of Glee and other trade shows...
Pet trade organisations this week attended a summit meeting in London aimed at safeguarding the future of Glee and other trade shows.
Representatives of the Pet Care Trade Association and OATA were present at the meeting on Tuesday which had been organised by the Garden Industry Manufacturers' Association.
In a statement after the meeting GIMA said: "The recent meeting with trade associations representing both suppliers and retailers in the gardening, leisure, DIY, aquatics, pets, houseware and giftware sectors was very positive.
"The forum enabled the different associations to exchange views on the nature and scope of trade events and how they can work together more closely to ensure that exhibitions support our industry sectors effectively."
GIMA are encouraging people in the industry to complete their Glee questionnaire over the next few days – it is available on line via the GIMA website www.gima.org.uk
Alternatively, GIMA Director Neil Gow asks industry members to email any points of views, opinions and ideas direct to him at neilgow@gima.org.uk
"It would be great to get comments from people working in the pet trade," said Neil. "The questionnaire may appear by be biased towards gardening but the views of the pet industry are valid too."
"It just underlines the importance of Glee to the industry that so many trade associations, who have perhaps not been the best at all pulling together over recent years, will give their time to come to this meeting to put forward and discuss the views of their members," said Nigel Thomson, GIMA President and Sales Director at Stewart Garden.
"We are really pleased at the response, and to have garden and leisure products, gifts, DIY, housewares, pet and aquatic products and export trade associations represented.”
Although no Glee show organisers were present at the meeting, Richard Baker, Group Operating Director for i2i Events and responsible for Glee, said: “As exhibition organisers we really value the close working relationship we have with GIMA and the other trade associations in the garden and outdoor living sector.
"By listening and acting upon relevant market feedback, Glee continues to evolve to ensure it is always 100% relevant to the very sector it targets. We have always taken the view that we need the industry to be active stakeholders in the show and decide what they want to achieve from their trade event, knowing that we are best placed to help deliver it.
"In recent years, we have seen the passion that so many people in the industry feel. Now what is needed is this passion being harnessed with the industry all pulling together. It will make it a stronger, better industry and one that with a coming together of views will be well placed to take on the challenges of the next 30 years."
Picture caption: Neil Gow of GIMA (right) with trade representatives attending the summit meeting.
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Pedigree launches campaign to raise awareness of healthy eating
Pet retailers throughout the country are this week taking part in a Pedigree campaign to highlight the importance of giving dogs a healthy diet...
Pet retailers throughout the country are this week taking part in a Pedigree campaign to highlight the importance of giving dogs a healthy diet.
Wet Nose Week, which runs until Sunday, aims to educate owners about the importance of ensuring pets get essential nutritional requirements every day.
Pedigree have employed the services of Joanna Page (Stacey in Gavin and Stacey), and her dog Daisy, along with veterinary surgeon and TV presenter, Steve Leonard, to lead a range of activities that will encourage the nation to think about what they feed their dogs. In addition, Pedigree has launched its ‘Paws for Thought’ Report to draw attention to the importance of dog health and nutrition. The Report, as well as Wet Nose Week, are all part of Pedigree’s new campaign that asks owners to consider ‘Has your dog had his 4 a day?’. Gemma Howells, Pedigree Brand manager, said: “At Pedigree we believe every dog should be fit and healthy all year round.
"Pedigree Wet Nose Week is one step towards this goal, and has been launched as a fun and engaging way to give owners a better insight into their dog’s health, wellbeing and nutritional needs.
"We want to help owners with some guidance about what they can do themselves, within their own homes, to ensure their dogs are in optimum shape, health and wellbeing.” To find out more about Pedigree Wet Nose Week and the health checker visit www.uk.pedigree.com/wetnoseweek
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Report reveals many dog owners are ignorant of harmful effect of chocoloate
Many dog owners are still unaware of the harmful effects of giving their animals chocolate, according to a new report...
Many dog owners are still unaware of the harmful effects of giving their animals chocolate, according to a new report...
The findings from the Pedigree report 'Paws for Thought' revealed many owners do not realise that feeding their dogs certain human foods can be extremely harmful,
This included chocolate, which is highly toxic to dogs, and even grapes, a food considered healthy to humans but which can cause kidney failure when fed to dogs.
One quarter of the 1,000 owners questioned (26%) stated they didn’t have enough information on what is dangerous for their dogs to eat.
Weight was also a key area where there appeared to be a lack of understanding amongst owners. 86% described their dog’s weight as ‘about right’, whereas UK data shows that 40% of dogs are, in fact, overweight.
Pedigree is urging dog owners to check what is an appropriate weight for their dogs during Wet Nose Week, so they can be better informed about the healthiness of their pet. The research also found that 12% of owners give their dogs human food because of the ‘puppy dog eyes’ effect. When it comes to clean plates at the dinner table, over a third (36%) of people give their dogs human food because they would rather leftovers went to the dog than in the bin. Jo Gale, Scientist at the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, said: “It’s not surprising that so many owners give in to their dogs and feed them tidbits from their own plates, but it is really important to remember that a dogs’ dietary needs are different to those of a human’s.
"It is paramount for owners to check which foods maintain the health and well-being of dogs, to prevent long-term health problems - especially obesity. The Pedigree health checker is a great tool to ensure your dog is meeting its wellbeing checklist."
To find out more about Pedigree Wet Nose Week and the health checker visit www.uk.pedigree.com/wetnoseweek
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Reptile body battles to safeguard hobby
A leading group of reptile keepers has produced a special report in the battle to stave off attempts by animal rights organisations to ban certain species...
A leading group of reptile keepers has produced a special report in the battle to stave off attempts by animal rights organisations to ban certain species.
In the report called 'Reptiles and Amphibians as Companion Animals', the European Union Association of Reptile Keepers has submitted clear evidence that the industry takes animal welfare seriously.
EUARK draws on the experience and resources of reptile experts from across Europe. As a model EUARK uses the experience of British reptile enthusiasts who have been engaged in the political and legislative process for almost two decades.
The Federation of British Herpetologists (FBH) and the Reptile and Exotic Pet Trade Association (REPTA) were formed to challenge the flawed arguments presented by animal rights groups and to represent the legitimate interests of reptile keepers.
"This document represents the beginning of our dialogue with the EU Commission and we are looking to update and amend the information it contains as more Euro-centric data becomes available," said EUARK spokesman Tony Jones.
"We feel that it has been a helpful tool to address the issues raised by the animal rights organisations. Many of the points they've raised are refuted by the data in this brochure."
Here are some of the facts included in the report:
- £200 Million - Value of the reptile sector of the UK pet industry in 2012
- £5.9 Billion – UK pet trade overall value in 2010
- Eight Million - Reptile pets in the UK
- 1.1 Million - UK households keeping reptiles
- 1,000 - Vivariums sold per week in the UK by just one manufacturer
- 250,000 - Reptiles and amphibians bred in the UK each year, and this is increasing annually
- Over 1,000 - Number of stores selling reptiles in the UK
"Enhancing and improving welfare is at the very heart of EUARK’s policy and commitment profile and we are keen to promote and advocate suitably high standards across every aspect of reptile keeping," says the report. "Reptile welfare and husbandry standards are demonstrably high and there is extensive data to show that reptiles make exceptionally suitable pets."
To apply for a copy of the report email info@52oaks.com
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Dorwest Herbs launches firework campaign
Dorwest Herbs is working with retailers to help take the stress out of the firework season for pet owners and their animals...
Dorwest Herbs is working with retailers to help take the stress out of the firework season for pet owners and their animals.
Pet owners across the nation are bracing themselves for fireworks season, some of them unaware that there are a whole range of proven methods for tackling their pets’ fears.
Dorwest Herbs is making big efforts to spread the word with its annual ‘Dorwest Say Relax’ fireworks phobia campaign. Not only are there some great promotional packs and product boxes for retailers to use but Dorwest is also creating waves in cyberspace as Merlin (the dog from the Dorwest logo) shares his fears of fireworks night in his warts-and-all mockumentary blog.
Promotional packs containing a poster, leaflets and fun flashing badges are available for free and the first 100 requests for the product boxes receive a ‘Dorwest Say Relax’ t-shirt, while stocks last. Containing licensed Scullcap & Valerian Tablets and Organic Valerian Compound at a discounted price, the boxes are a great way for retailers to get the full snap, crackle and pop out of the fireworks season with some fantastic profits to be made.
Get your preparations under way now, as there is always a huge demand for Dorwest’s licensed treatments for noise phobias at this time of year. With Bonfire night on November 5 and Diwali starting eight days later, the potential for fireworks will likely last last a good few weeks this year. With people becoming more and more social media orientated, Dorwest is running a Facebook competition. The search for the ‘most relaxed dog in the nation’ features some brilliant photographs of laid back characters doing it ‘the Dorwest way’. The prize is a fantastic pet-friendly luxury weekend break, with runners up receiving a Dorwest “Fireworks Survival Kit” before the big night itself.
Do you know a cool cat or a dog that’s a dude? If so, encourage their owner to enter the competition at www.facebook.com/Dorwest. If you have a few minutes why not zone out, chillax and de-stress by taking a peek at some of the great entries. Most of them have gone to no effort at all to strike a pose, true to their chilled out attitude to life. The closing date is the October 19. Complementing all this activity is Merlin’s blog. Cringe-worthy encounters with the fairer sex, frustrations at there being no ‘quick-fix’ to his fireworks phobia and plenty of laughs at Merlin’s chaotic life have been thoroughly entertaining his followers. Encourage customers to jump on board if they haven’t already, to track his progress at merlintakescontrol.wordpress.com If you would like Dorwest to help you develop a cracking campaign and a focus on fireworks call the Dorwest helpline on 01308 897272 or email info@dorwest.com
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Struggling bicycle and car parts retailer Halfords has appointed former Pets at Home boss Matt Davies as its new chief executive. Halfords hopes he can build sales and profits as he did at Pets at Home.
His appointment is likely to be welcomed in the City due to his track record at Pets at Home, where he built sales and profits ahead of the company's £995m sale to private equity group KKR in 2010. Dennis Millard, Halfords' chairman, said: "The board is delighted to have recruited such a high–calibre leader as Matt. He has many years of retail experience, impeccable service credentials and the energy and ability to drive Halfords forward." Matt Davies joined Pets at Home as finance director in August 2001 before taking the top job in March 2004. He twice helped sell the company, first to UK private equity house Bridgepoint and later to KKR.
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The Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund is holding its second interactive vet conference in November...and there will be a live owners' stream too.
RWAF is working with Buddies Bunny Rescue and the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies in Edinburgh to host the conference on November 24.
The conference will see a mix of lectures and workshops in an interactive format, with many of the same educators taking part.
For more details click here
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Tracy Peach, of All Breeds Dog Grooming in Malton, North Yorkshire, has won PATS Harrogate’s inaugural Groomer of the Show competition. Exhibitor and competition sponsor, Animology, organised the competition at the Harrogate show. Photographs of the top 10 grooms entered in Animology’s monthly Facebook competition were displayed at the event, and visitors to the PATS Grooming Point were asked to vote on the one that most impressed them. Tracy wins a certificate, two 5 litre bottles of Animology shampoo and a set of Animology scissors. And one lucky voter was picked at random from the votes cast by PATS visitors in the ballot box during the show. That person is Lisa Hodgson of Pet Angels in Nelson. Lisa wins a quantity of Animology retail stock for her shop. The next PATS show, which will again feature dog grooming demonstrations by members of Groom Team England, will take place at Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey, on March 19-20 2013.
For more information visitors and exhibitors should visit www.patshow.co.uk or telephone the PATS Hotline 01892 862848.
 
The before and after pictures of Scottish Terrier Maddie, which won Tracy Peach first prize in the Animolgy competition at PATS Harrogate.
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Breakfast stimulates a dog's ability to search
Eating a morning meal increases search accuracy in dogs, a new study suggests...
Eating a morning meal increases search accuracy in dogs, a new study suggests. Researchers at the University of Kentucky tested the search performance of trained dogs after either consuming breakfast or fasting. The study found the canines searched more accurately 30 minutes after a meal than those that searched when hungry. Findings from the research by Dr Holly Miller and colleague Charlotte Bender were recently published in the journal Behavioural Processes. Studies demonstrating that children do better in cognitive exercises when they have eaten breakfast led Dr Miller to "wonder if a breakfast would also improve performance by dogs." So Dr Miller and Ms Bender tested trained domestic dogs' accuracy when finding hidden food, after either eating a morning meal or completing the task without eating.
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The Armitage Pet Care Dog Advent Calendar is the bestselling Christmas product for pets, according to the Garden Trade News All Products Data this week.
GTN produces an exclusive chart on the bestselling products in garden centres each week based on Epos data.
It's the first week of the Christmas Chart and the Armitage Dog Advent Calendar is the only pet product in the Top 50 bestselling items. It currently stands in No 30 place.
To find out how you can subscribe to the GTN Bestsellers Chart click here
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Handmade gluten-free treats launched
Alpha & Ruby’s Dog Bakery, a new company baking its own unique gluten-free dog treats by hand in Oxfordshire, is launching three new products...
Alpha & Ruby’s Dog Bakery, a new company baking its own unique gluten-free dog treats by hand in Oxfordshire, is launching three new products...
Made with a minimum of 40% chicken and 30% tuna, these new biscuits are said to be hard to beat on meat content! The focus for Alpha & Ruby’s Dog Bakery is the nutritional content and the quality of the ingredients, to produce a healthy palatable treat, without additives. Chicken breast and tuna is used with gluten free flour, olive oil and flaxseeds, to produce a choice of two flat baked biscuits in novelty shapes. Free range eggs, honey and peanut butter are ingredients found in the third product – an individual cupcake just for dogs. ‘Big On Chicken’ is a bone-shaped chicken biscuit and ‘Healthy Heart Cookies’ are the tuna heart-shaped alternative. The new biscuits are baked to be flat and crunchy, requiring some effort from a dog to eat them which encourages oral health. The third product launched, ‘Happy-Pup Cake’, is a peanut butter cupcake made with no added sugar. Each cupcake is individually boxed. The company’s founder Fatima Maktari developed the new range in her own bakery using only human grade ingredients. The Alpha & Ruby’s Dog Bakery name was inspired by Fatima’s four-year old Labrador ‘Alpha’ and his best friend ‘Ruby’, a Boxer dog. “I realised there was a lack of quality wheat-free treats available, so developed my own recipes with real honest ingredients people can totally understand and trust. Dog owners could even eat Alpha & Ruby’s Dog Bakery products themselves if they wished," said Fatima. Contact Alpha & Ruby’s Dog Bakery on 01494 481 788 for full trading terms, or visit the company’s website at www.alphaandrubys.com for further information.
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Town & Country Petfoods has launched a new range of ultra premium cat food called Indulge Me! The six varieties are available in 80g single pouches. The range includes only natural, hand-prepared ingredients, gently steamed to retain their goodness and flavour. The varieties include Chicken Breast with Brown Rice, Flaked Chicken Breast with Lamb in Light Jelly, Flaked Skipjack Tuna with Mackerel in Light Jelly, Shredded Chicken Breast with Ham in Sauce, Skipjack Tuna with Shrimps & Brown Rice and Shredded Skipjack Tuna in Sauce. “Both the ultra and super premium sectors of the pet food market are showing strong growth," said Peter Parkinson, Marketing Director at Town & Country Petfoods. "In order to drive this trend and offer retailers the chance to capitalise on it we are launching this new cat food range for the more discerning cat and cat owner. "HiLife Indulge Me! is positioned right at the ultra premium end of the market and has been created to appeal to those customers looking for natural products, using the best quality human-grade ingredients. "The result is a delicious all-natural taste of decadence that gives retailers the chance to make the most of this growth area.” For further information visit www.hilifepet.co.uk
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As well as innovative, safe, and hypoallergenic, Supreme Petfoods’ Twistynest bedding can now add ‘award-winning’ to its list of credentials.
The product, designed to provide enrichment as well as safe and snug bedding, was highly commended in the PATS Retailer’s Choice Awards. Twistynest is a world first in small animal bedding. Manufactured to expand into paper ribbons when busy little feet get to work on it, the product provides enrichment through the expression of natural nesting behavior.
Absorbent squares that rapidly dry to lock away moisture and odours, ensure that Twistynest is a safe and practical bedding too. Suitable for small species such as hamsters and gerbils, it is perfect for encouraging pets to spend their time actively. The PATS Retailers Choice judges said they were “impressed with the potential of this innovation in bedding for small pets." Supreme’s dedication to remaining at the forefront of developments in small pet nutrition and well-being is clear when you consider the full range.
The Science Selective range offers the widest choice of veterinary recommended species specific diets and contain absolutely no added or hidden sugars as well as offering the highest crude fibre levels of any comparable monocomponent diet – up to 25%.
The recently launched Fibafirst Monoforage food is the only pet food for rabbits and guinea pigs that contains up to 30% crude fibre and utilises long chain fibre technology to increase chewing time, encouraging digestive health and increased dental wear.
Find out more at www.supremepetfoods.com
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A non-alcoholic, non-carbonated beer called Barkers Brew has been launched for dogs.
The new product created a lot of interest at PATS Harrogate as visitors sought more information about the beer.
Barkers Brew is said to be healthy and nutritious, packed with Vitamins B and E, and is a convenient add-on to flavour dry dog food. Owners can also add it to a dog's water to encourage drinking.
To find out details of a special retailer promotional offer email info@barkersbrew.co.uk
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A product called Autoslide, which automates existing patio doors for pets as well as humans, has provoked a lot interested since being exhibited at PATS Harrogate.
"The unique selling point is that we fix the Autoslide unit to existing patio doors," said UK distributor Neil Rollerson. "We know of no other product like it, certainly not in the UK as we are the only people doing it here.
"Our main market is disability/mobility, second is high end residential and thirdly we are dipping our feet into the UK pet market. The product is very popular among pet lovers in the US and Australia.
"Anyone carrying items in and out of a patio door will know how awkward it is, often being tempted to leave the door open. Now it closes behind you.
"Even pets are finding new independence when wearing a unique collar tag. The door opens for those necessary trips into the garden, lets them back in again and all without any frantic scratching for attention."
To find out more visit www.autoslidedoors.com
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